Calam World info & Guidelines
Calam
Table of Contents
About Calam................................................................................................. 3 Setting......................................................................................................... 4 The calendar................................................................................................. 5 World map.................................................................................................... 6 The Kingdom of Calam................................................................................... 7 Royal District................................................................................................ 9 Duchy of Oaksdale......................................................................................... 9 Duchy of Gaerwood...................................................................................... 10 Duchy of Leikland........................................................................................ 11 Duchy of Leikland........................................................................................ 12 The Armies................................................................................................. 13 The Mountainfolk......................................................................................... 16 The Barbarians............................................................................................ 17 The Orc Tribes............................................................................................. 18 Persons of importance.................................................................................. 19 General guidelines....................................................................................... 23
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About Calam
Calam is part of a dream coming true. A couple of years ago, some of our crew went in search for a larp unlike any they ever participated in here in Belgium. Their travels brought them to Sweden, Germany and the United Kingdom. There they saw larp done differently than in Belgium. Getting really enthousiastic about those larps they started to dream of having larps like that here in Belgium. Calam is one result of that dream. With Calam we want to offer a larp like no other here in Belgium, thus bringing the experience to you, instead you having to go to another country for that experience. The main language of the larp is English, but other languages are allowed as each province has it's own 'dialect' (i.e another language). You will decide the balance of the struggle of the Kingdom of Calam. Will you be a loyal citizen of King Gregory III, will you join the rebels of Duke Patrick, will you stay neutral as a mountain folk or be without mercy and become a Barbarian of the South or an Orc? Choose wisely and be part of this larp. To make sure that seasoned participants are (in term of skills) as powerful as the newbie we opted for a freeform style of rules. You will not find skills at Calam. Instead participants will choose a career for their character. This career will enable a character to do things between event. As such the seasoned participant will have a character that has done alot of actions, become a known character, etc. But during the event itself (in term of combat damage and hitpoints) he/she will be as powerful as a new participants' character. Beside our simple rules system we've also set a standard for costume and gear. So no advertising for sportwear足brands, no sneakers, etc. The reason we do this is to close the gap between what you see and what you have to imagine. No longer will you have to imagine that e.g. character John Doe's sneakers are nice medieval shoes, cause at Calam it WILL be medieval shoes (or modern walking shoes adapted to make them look medieval). In case of doubt contact us. If you have been longing for a larp where everything you see and hear is part of the world, then look no further, because Calam will be the larp for you. We hope to welcome you at our next event.
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Calam Setting
Calam is set in the Kingdom Calam in it's feudal age. The Kingdom of Calam is ruled by the King Gregory the 3rd, a human. It consists of a number of provinces who are ruled by either a Baron or a Count and there are 4 Dukes who supervise a number of provinces. The most important of all the Dukes was the late Duke Richard of Oaksdale. As the eldest cousin of the King he was in direct line of succession until the King produced some sons (at the moment the King has only 2 daughters). But with the murder of Duke Richard all this changes, the consequences can still be felt. The Kingdom of Calam is located east of an immense forest where so足called Demons live (hence the name Demon Wood). To the North lies a great mountain inhabited by the Mountain folk, a human group who excel at smithing. To the South there are plains and small forests where the Orcs and Barbarian tribes live. In the east lies the ocean. The Kingdom continuously has to check it's borders to the south for when the Orcs and the Barbarians aren't fighting amongst themselves they war against the Kingdom. But this all changed a year ago when Duke Patrick of Gaerwood (North足east part of Calam) declared himself independent and broke free of the Kingdom. This resulted in a war that luckily only centers itself around the border of the Gaerwood province. But since Gaerwood is an important province (for it holds the Kingdoms goldmine) the war is slowly having an effect on daily live in the Kingdom. To make matters worse the Orcs and Barbarians have forged an alliance and used the war around Gaerwood to launch a massive attack on the most southern province of Leikland.
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The calendar Even before the kingdom of Calam was formed the lunar calendar was in place, it's origins have been forgotten in the mists of time. The Mountain Folk have taken over the calendar for trade contacts, the Barbarians use it as well. A year consists of 4 Quarters of 90 days. Every few years, a few days are added to correct the calendar. Calam started counting the years with the founding of their first city, Yorktown. The Barbarians and Mountain Folk, who have little use for years themselves, started using the same years for trade convenience. Calams call this First Founding (FF). The Quarters are: Samhain: Samhain starts with the new year of the calendar, the Longest Night. In folklore this is the night that the earth slumbers and rejuvenates. The Longest Night is the night that the Spirit believers honour their spirits with a special feast. It is also the night that the Handerists celebrate the first vision of their Prophet. This Quarter is the winter season. Imbolc: This Quarter starts with a festival that signifies new life. In folklore it's the earth coming back to life. Handerists celebrate the day that their first Prophet returned from exile. This Quarter is the spring season. Beltane: The festival that starts this Quarter signifies Growth and the Fertility of the Earth. Handerists celebrate the founding of their Church on this day. This Quarter is the summer season. Lughnasa: The festival that starts this Quarter is the Harvest Festival. The last reserves of the previous year are used for this feast. The day after the harvesting starts. This Quarter is the fall season.
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Calam
World map
Below you will find the map of how the known world of Calam looks like.
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The kingdom of Calam History
According to legend, the Kingdom of Calam was founded by humans who fled the Demon Wood. The initial reason has long been forgotten, but the fact remains that only a fool would walk into the Demon Wood. When they came from the forest they were a united people driven by a same goal: founding a new home where they could live without ever having to flee again. In the beginning life was well, but soon the Calam were split (this happened some 500 years ago): those who continued to strive for peace and prosperity through a process of building a nation,and those who wanted to go back to the old ways, who wished to reconnect with nature and their old tribal bonds The former became the Calam citizens we now know, while the latter became the Barbarians of the South. Some 100 years ago a new religion was founded in Calam, the Church of Hander came into being and is slowly becoming the main religion (some Calam still worship the Spirits, but don't want to go back to the Barbarian way of life) The Kingdom of Calam stretches from the eastern ocean all the way to the Demon wood in the west, and from the northern mountains southwards where it borders on the lands inhabited by barbarians and orcisch tribes. The Calam people like to regard themselves as being "civilised" as opposed to the people around them. They live (for the most part) in houses made of stone, sturdy wood and loam constructions, while a broad network of well maintained roads connect the major cities. There are colleges where the nobility & rich people send their kids to get an education and cathedrals where their god Hander is revered. Cities are protected by high walls topped with battlements and watchtowers. The city guard protects the city, while the small villages and the country can count on the King's guard patrols to keep them safe. At one time Calam was an orderly and organised kingdom, having no real external foes they could concentrate on being prosperous and building a better tomorrow...Today the situation is a little less peacefull. Politicaly, Calam has a feudal system, which means that the nobility governs the land and pays tribute to their liege, who pays tribute to the king. The capital of Yorktown is situated on the banks of a large lake which is fed by a river from the mountains and which in turn continues it's flow towards the eastern ocean. This makes that it is not
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only the political capital, but the commercial center of the country as well. Dress code (late middle ages) The Humans of Calam live in a 'civilised' medieval world. They have nobility with nice silk clothes, but most people just have cotton clothes. Leather is more commonly worn by wealthy Calam citizens or the soldiers/hunters. Most people will wear the typical medieval shirt on a good pair or trousers. Cloak Cloaks are made out of wool, animal skins are for the really poor/barbaric people. Shoes Calam people mostly wear the medieval type of shoes, a hunter might have shoes like the Barbarians, while the higher class will wear good leather boots. Armor Chain mail for men at arms, full plate armor for nobility and knights and officers in the armed forces. Weapons Sword & shield dominate, while 2handed weapons are rarely wielded. Bow and crossbow are used as well. The city defence also uses catapults, ballistae and trebuchets Current status The Kingdom of Calam is ruled by King Gregory the 3rd. He’s no spectacular king. He maintains order well enough when all is quiet, but doesn’t seem up to the recent turmoil festering in the kingdom. A devout Händerist, he sees the church as a solution to his problems. The king has 2 daughters, but no male heirs. The 5 main regions of the kingdom are: * * * * *
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The Royal district of Yorktown (central) Duchy of Oaksdale (north west) Duchy of Gaerwood (north east) Duchy of Leikland (south west) Duchy of Rocksend (south east)
The Royal district of Yorktown (central) Capital: Yorktown, situated on the banks of lake Derba.
Ruler: Archduke Marek Larsson. He is 65 years old and a cousin of the Duchess Eleanor of Rocksend. He's been Archduke for 20 years now. Background: A relatively small piece of the Kingdom, bordered in the south by lake Derba and in the west by the Derba river. In the past it used to be a royal hold, but since 3 generations it is ruled by the Archduke. It is the commercial & political centre of the country. Most of the region is heavily cultivated: fields, orchards, well maintained pastures full of cattle… Roads are plentiful and well maintained and the kings guard patrol regularly. It’s by far the most civilised part of the kingdom.
Duchy of Oaksdale (north west)
Capital: Barnsdale, situated in the north west corner of the duchy, near to demon wood and the mountains. Ruler: Richard of Oaksdale was 46 when he was murdered at his birthday festival; he became Duke some 20 years ago, after his father died during a hunting accident. He was a cousin to the king and was fiercely loyal to the crown, he was also the first in the line of succession until the king produces a male heir. While he never married he did have a bastardson whom he had acknowledged, but he had not yet named his successor. The duchy of Oaskdale is prosperous, mostly due to its fertile soil and trade with the mountain folk. The Duke was a strong man. Calm, self confident, capable.... He didn't mind the occasional feast or spectacle but rarely overindulged. As he was loyal to the crown, he was loyal to his subjects as well. He saw his position as Duke as a position in which to serve for the greater good of the Kingdom and his vassals. When the need arose, he was not afraid, nor incapable, to pick up arms and use them. An expert swordsman and he prided himself on his skill with the blade. As a Kings man he was not averse to the Church of Hander, however, many of his subjects still cling to the old beliefs and he did not
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want to alienate them. To keep everyone happy, he had to walk a very fine line... With his death all this might change. Why did a man, so loved by his subjets and those close to him have to be murdered? Was it a sign to show that the Barbarians are an untrustworthy people? Only time will tell. Background: Fertile lands and trade with the mountain folk make this Duchy the breadbasket of the kingdom. Corn, wheat and other grains dominate the fields and to the west there are several baronies devoted to lumbering and the related crafts. Well maintained roads criss足cross the Duchy, connecting the different baronies. The people here are sensible folk余 hard working and dutyful, though maybe a tiny bit unimaginative... Common dresscode: The typical costumes are those of the English in the Middle Ages. Common names: They also use the typical English names like George, John, Richard, Rose, Elisabeth, ... Main dialect: English.
Duchy of Gaerwood (north east)
Capital: Cair Innis, located up near the mountains in the north of the duchy余 near the precious gold mines. Ruler: Duke Patrick of Gaerwood is a young duke, not yet 30 years of age. His father still lives, but has traded the Ducal throne for an advisory position and the freedom to spend some time with his real passion: fishing. While the father is not always as astute in his duties as he should be, Patrick is all the more so. He's stubborn, loyal to his subject and to tradition. If tradition and the Crown are no longer in agreement, he follows tradition. This is what fostered his declaration of independence: he sees the church of Hander becoming more powerful each year and wishes no part of it, since he himself is a devout spirit足believer. It's even rumored he has a shaman of the barbarian tribes at his court! Because Gaerwood has the only goldmine in the country, Patrick has plenty of resources to defend his Duchy, however he may lack the manpower. Nevertheless, he's set on his course for independence now and will not waver from it. Others are free to join, but even if the king were to forbid and destroy the Handerian church, Patrick would not return to the kingdom. Because of his adherence to the "old ways", Patrick has always had good relations with the mountain folk who live at his northern border. He knows more about them and their society than most Calam people and has many contacts among them.
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Background: More heavily forested and not quite as “tamed” as Oaksdale or the Royal District. Main source of income: mines (gold, iron, ...), fish from the many lakes and sea, stone from quagmires, meat from sheep. The vales and forests of Gaerwood are dotted with small villages and forts, connected by roads that crisscross the woods. People are rather solitary, confining themselves foremost to the business of their own village. Travelers are not met with hostility, but once they have eaten, slept and perhaps traded a bit, they are not encouraged to linger either. However, once you get to know these people, and are considered their friend, you can count on a steadfast loyalty and warm welcome anytime you're near... Common dresscode: The typical costumes are those of the rest of Western Europe in the Middle Ages. Common names: Typical names are French. For example: Jean, Marc, Claude, Josephine, ... Main dialect: French.
Duchy of Leikland (south west) Capital: Leikland city
Ruler: Duke Hans Bratman. After the previous duke (Harold Leikland) died of old age without leaving an obvious heir everyone feared a prolonged struggle for power in the duchy. This was however cut short by the Cattle lords who did the most unprecedented thing: they held a grand gathering of all cattle lords and nobility where they pushed for a vote on who would succeed Harold. Hans Bratman, a minor noble but one of the more powerful Cattle lords, was chosen with an astounding support from his colleagues, and the gathered nobility could do little else but accept this most unconventional outcome. Hans has proven himself to be a capable Duke, managing his duchy like he does his business: clean, efficient, thorough with attention to details and the rewarding of actual skill, not heritage. The Leikland nobility looks upon this with grave concern as they see their position of power under threat, but as Hans is a noble himself, there's not much they can do about this... Background: Cattle is the business of this Duchy. Large herds graze in the pastures during the day, guarded by mounted & armed herders. At night the cattle &man sleep well protected within fortified farmsteads or villages. There are a handful of “cattle lords”, not all men of nobility but all of them owners of such large herds that they are economical forces to be reckoned with, which in turn gives them political
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power as well. These “cattle lords” sometimes have as much or more to say than local nobility... A duchy of endless grasslands and few roads, it's easy to get lost here. Cities and villages are few and far between, usually heavily fortified and locked up tight at night. The barbarians and orcs of the south are never far away... Cattle is serious business, and the Leiklanders are serious people. The continuous threat from the south has something to do with this as well... When they are in the field with their herds, or are on guard in one of the fortifications, there is nothing that can distract them from their duty. However, once they start to “relax” they go to extremes as well. A feast is never “just a feast” in Leikland. Excessive amounts of food and alcohol MUST be consumed, and they often end in violence when pent up tension releases itself. Common dresscode: Think Scandinavian and the clothes of Rohan in the Lord of the Rings movies. Common names: They also use the typical Scandinavian names (mixed with German and Dutch) with the surnames linked to their father/mother: Mark Hansson, Timo Dieterson, Heike Marjoleinstottir, Ulla Gretastottir, ... Main dialect: Dutch, German and Scandinavian languages.
Duchy of Rocksend (south east)
Capital: Mardigal, situated at the mouth of the river Derba. A city where there are few streets, but many canals, as it is built largely on a swamp. This is not strange, since most of this duchy consists of swamp or marshlands. Ruler: The Duchess Eleanor of Rocksend. While female rulers are not unheard of in Calam, they are unusual. The Duchess chose not to step aside when her husband died, claiming that her son was not yet ready for the seat of power. (which is possible, her son is only 8) Background: Perhaps the most peculiar duchy of them all. While travel in the south is always perilous due to the proximity to barbarian and orcish lands, the geography of Rocksend makes it even more so. Bordered in the north by the Derba river, and consisting of low lands, this Duchy is almost entirely marchland or swamp. Roads are sometimes built, but deteriorate as fast as they are created, so most transport happens by boat or on foot, cross country. The population of Rocksend is small, and almost completely concentrated in the capital of Mardigal. A few small villages exist here and there, and some other groups of people live a nomadic existence in the swamps. Rocksend is not poor however! The swamps provide many strange and wonderful flowers, herbs and spices, and in some places strange chemicals boil to the surface. These
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natural recourses are gathered troughout the duchy, brought to the markets of Mardigal and transported by boat to the capital where they are sold dearly... The leaders of the great trading houses keep their identity secret for outsiders. That's why those dealing with the leader will find that the leaders will wear a mask during those meetings. Only those of high ranks in the trading house will know who is the person behind the mask. Life in Mardigal is cheery, with many feasts, carnivals, fairs and celebrations. The barbarians and orcs are a faraway threath, since they rather raid the easy grasslands of Leikland then the dificult swampterain of Rocksend. The Rocksenders, as they call themselves dress in bright colors. Linen, silk and satin dominate, elaborate hats with grand feathers are worn by anyone who is remotely important, wide sleeved shirts, rushes, lace,... fashion is important to the citydwelling Rocksenders. The cumbersome combination of heavy armour and weapons with a swampy underground, combined with their keen sense of the fashionable, has made it so that in Rocksend, fighters prefer the rapier and other light weapons over the broadswords that are common in the rest of the kingdom. People from other parts of the kingdom look upon them as lighthearted, brightplumed parrots. It would be unwise to underestimate them however. The Rocksenders fight as flamboyantly as they live, with a style & skill that may surprise you... Common dresscode: Think Venetian Renaissance costumes. Common names: Typical Italian/Spanish names: Gerardo, Leonardo, Caterina, Donna, ... Main dialect: Italian, French, Spanish, Portugese.
The Armies
Each Duchy has it's own army (called a Guard), but when the Kingdom is at war each Duchy will provide soldiers for the Royal Army. This Royal Army is lead by the King's Guard. Soldiers in the Royal Army can wear chainmail or plate armor, other than these royal soldiers only nobility wear metal armor. Hunters don leather armor. For the people of Calam the look of clothing and armor comes first, practicality comes only second. Ranks in the army The following ranks exist in the armies of the Kingdom: * * * * * *
corporal: 1 golden circle sergeant: 2 golden circles lieutenant: 1 golden circle with horizontal line under captain: 2 golden circles with horizontal line under marshal: 3 golden circles with horizontal line under knightcaptain: 4 golden circles with horizontal line under
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* knight足marshal: 5 golden circles with horizontal line under * king: golden crown
Remark: these ranks exist in each Duchy. While the King's Guard knows the same ranks they are considered to be at least a Knight足Captain when among other Guards. So a sergeant of the King's Guard can order a marshal of the Oaksdale Guard. Below is a sketch of the Official Guard uniforms. The first sketch is of the Officer's uniforms, beside a nicer uniform (when compared with a soldier) they display the coat of arms of their liege. Soldiers (=rank of sergeant and below) of the Guard wear a tabard using the same colours, but no coat of arms. Note that the King and his relatives have Gold (yellow) in their colours. So from the sketches below you can clearly see that the Dukes of Oaksdale and Rocksend are relatives of the King. Officers
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Soldiers
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Calam
The Mountainfolk (or Géhum)
In the hills and moutains on the Northern borders of the Kingdom of Calam live a cultural and political independant people. They don't have a unifying name as their society is based on a clansystem. Each fertile hill or moutain(s) has it's own clan of moutain folk. What is generally known about these people is that they live in caves and underground cities. Some 'lesser' clans live on the side of a moutain, or in a valley. Dressed in kilts and furs these people have a look similar to the Barbarian clans of the south, however don't be deceived for their technology is vastly more advanced than that of the barbarians. Their skill in architecture, weaponforging, mining and other crafts is equal to that of the Kingdom of Calam. It is also known that any tresspasser that is found in the mountains or the hills dissappears. The Gèhum believe that the mountain range is a god, a god that tries to push its way through the crest of the earth. Locations as Ice caves, volcanos, underground lakes, lava streams, gleisjers attract thousands of pilgrims each year. One of the most famous divine locations is 'The Sea of God', this is a huge lake high up in the mountains, but strangly enough the lake isn't filled with fresh water, but it contain saltwater and fish, crabs, jellyfish and other animals that are normally only found at sea. The most known clans are: Thaalclan: an old and famous clan amongst the Gèhum, which settled near the borders with the Calam Kingdom. The Thaalclan has held off many attempted Calam invasions in the past. They have claimed the Thaal mountainregion which has rich ore deposits. Their main exportproducts are iron ore and stones. Since a decade they are establishing trade relations with neighbouring Calam counties. Dourghclan: settled at the heart of the Dourgh mountain region, this clan has some political authority over the different clans as many of the Divine Locations lie within their lands and they don't hesitate to exploit this fact. Altough this gives them some political advantage it's also made them many enemies. clanless: thousands of mountainfolks are clanless and live on or inside a deserted moutain. Most of them are refugees from the countless wars amongst the clans. They try to survive while others try to get accepted in another clan. Some even take their chances in the Kingdom of Calam. Dress code: kilts / early middle ages armor: fur / mixed leather weapons: claymores, shortbows, rocks, axes and round shields.
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The Barbarians
The Barbarians are also descendants of the original Calam ancestors, but some 500 years ago they turned thier backs on the idea of cilivlisation and returned to the Old Ways. They strongly believe in the spirits. Barbarians are intelligent humans, they just refused the way of life of the Calam people. With the magic of the spirits they believe they are stronger than Calam. Upon breaking away from Calam they went South. But soon they found themselves at war with the Orcs upon whose territory they had invaded. Being more technologically advanced than the Orcs they quickly managed to get the upper hand in their first battles. But later on the Orcs used their brute force to make up for their lesser intelligence. Since then the Barbarians and Orcs have been in numerous fights over ownership of land. Of late a truce between the Barbarians and the Orcs was created, following the wish of their spirits. The Barbarians mostly live in small villages surrounded by wooden walls. Some clans continuously travel around the grasslands and live in tents (viking style tents). The largest village is the that of the Ultan clan, which counts some 1000 members. Dress code: viking足like: tunica's, pants (braies), strips of cloth around calves. Outfits are finished with fur cloaks. Sjaman's often wear the head/skull (or something made to look like a head/skull) of their totem. armor: fur / mixed leather weapons: claymores, shortbows, rocks, axes, spears and round shields.
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The Orc tribes
To the south of Calam lie grasslands with copses of trees. It is here that the Orcs live. Their villages can be compared to those of the Barbarians, except that an Orc village is more chaotic. They don't care a lot about wooden fences/walls and they really don't need it. Only a fool (or an army) would dare to attack an Orc village. An Orc warrior does nothing to help in village life. They leave that to their Goblins slaves and the lesser Orcs. Most of the times they war amongst themselves but the spirits recently told them to work together. The same spirits convinced them to make a truce with the Barbarians in order to attack the Kingdom. Although their main goal is to destroy the Church of Hander, Orcs like killing humans above all else, so the truce with the Barbarians (being humans) is a fragile one. Like the Mountain folk and the Barbarians they live as clans. The most known clan is the Grratch Clan. This clan is ruled by the fearsome Grratch who rules with a strong arm and blade. It is under his rule that the Orcs, although reluctantly, formed an alliance with the Barbarians. Orcs also like to incorporate pieces of their victims, so you'll often see a fierce Orc warrior with bones, ears, pieces of hair as part of their outfit. The fiercer the Orc, the more bits and pieces of his victims will be shown. Goblins are the slaves of the Orcs. Dress code: kilts, leather pants, everything they have looted from their victims, as a cloak they'll use fur. Shoes are mostly layers of cloths, tied together with leather strips. Sometimes shoes from their victimes are worn by Orcs. armor: fur / mixed leather, small scraps of metal looted from their victims (no full chainmail or full plate are allowed for Orcs/Goblins) weapons: hammer, orcish swords, clubs. Remark: the Orcs and Goblins are the only races that MUST use latex prosthetics to get the Orc/Goblin look. Only using green face paint results in a HUMAN with green paint across his/her face! It's allowed to use full head masks, as long as they are easy to eat, drink and talk with. At no time will Orcs wear their mask on their head (like a hat) because it's too hot to wear it. If you choose to play an Orc you'll need to accept that the latex mask/prosthetics can make you sweat/warm. Orcs/Goblins do not need to be green. But if you decide to go for another color, make it look good during the WHOLE event.
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Important persons
The following is a list of known and important people in the world of Calam. These names are known by most people and therefore it might be useful for every participant to know these names and know who they are. Some names are only known by some factions, so only try to memorise them if they are within your faction :)
Peope of the Calam Kingdom The Royal Family
King Yonrick I He was the founding father of the Calam Kingdom. Legend says that he used to be a captive of a Barbarian tribe and that he escaped freeing hundreds of fellow slaves. They escaped via the Demon Wood and when they left the Wood (bloodied, bruised and loosing about 40% of their fellow former slaves) Yonrick laid eyes upon the land that would soon become known as Yonrick town, later renamed to Yorktown. King Yonrick IV He was the father of our current King Gregory III. King Yonrick the 4th died in a battle against the Orcs 38 years ago. While saving the day with a heroic charge together with the, now, legendary Sixth Regiment of the King’s Guard, the late king was struck by an arrow tipped with poison. King Gregory III He is our current king, he is currently 45 years old. When he was 7 years old he was crowned King when his father died. Archduke Marek Larsson was regent until Gregory reached the age of 16. Amongst the King’s advisors are the Archduke Marek Larsson (current ruler of the Royal District), Eminence Bishop Darren Blackwood (High Inquisitor of the Holy Inquisition) and late Duke Richard of Oaksdale. All were his advisors when he became king. Now that Duke Richard of Oaksdale has been murdered, the King only takes council from the Archduke and the Bishop. Queen Isolde (deceased) Queen Isolde was the wife of King Gregory III. She died giving birth to her youngest daughter. The king has never remarried. Although his advisors urge him to remarry to finally produce a male heir. Princess Myna She is the oldest daughter of the king and would be first in line to receive the crown when the king would die. But the King has decreed that his throne should go to a male heir (at this moment this would be Thomas of Oaksdale) Although she loves her father, she has a different view on politics. She doesn't have any trouble with the spirit believers, and is concerned with the poor of Calam. Also she believes that women are equal to men, which is completely opposite to the beliefs of the King's Court. This might be one of the reasons that she is not the heir of the throne.
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Princess Lisa Lisa is the youngest daugther of the King. She feels a bit guilty that her mother, queen Isolde, died while giving birth to her. She is a quiet girl and is due to be engaged. Nobody knows to whom she is to be betrothed.
The Dukes and Duchess
Duke Richard of Oaksdale (deceased) Richard of Oaksdale was 46 when he was murdered at his birthday festival; he became Duke some 20 years ago, after his father died during a hunting accident. He was a cousin to the king and was fiercely loyal to the crown, he was also the first in the line of succession until the king produces a male heir. While he never married he does have a bastardson, Thomas, whom he has acknowledged Thomas is also the heirapparant of Richard. This means the King has to officially declare Thomas the heir of Richard. Thomas of Oaksdale Thomas of Oaksalde is the heir apparant of the late Duke Richard of Oaksdale. Although he is bastard born he has been recognised by his father. Thomas is cousin to the current King Gregory the 3rd and Lieutenant in the King’s Guard. When his father was murdered he disappeared. Lately rumours are spreading that Thomas might be behind the murder on his father. Although his closest friends dismiss those rumours as false. People are still awaiting when the king will name Thomas the official heir of the Duke Richard, thus naming him Duke of Oaksdale. Duke Patrick of Gaerwood Duke Patrick of Gaerwood is a young duke, not yet 30 years of age. His father still lives, but has traded the Ducal throne for an advisory position and the freedom to spend some time with his real passion: fishing. While the father is not always as astute in his duties as he should be, Patrick is all the more so. He's stubborn, loyal to his subject and to tradition. If tradition and the Crown are no longer in agreement, he follows tradition. This is what fostered his declaration of independence: he sees the church of Hander becoming more and more powerful and wishes no part of it, since he himself is a devout spiritbeliever. It's even rumored he has a shaman of the barbarian tribes at his court! Because Gaerwood has the only goldmine in the country, Patrick has plenty of resources to defend his Duchy, however he may lack the manpower. Nevertheless, he's set on his course for independence now and will not waver from it. Others are free to join, but even if the king were to forbid and destroy the Handerian church, Patrick would not return to the kingdom. Because of his adherence to the "old ways", Patrick has always had good relations with the mountain folk who live at his northern border. He knows more about them and their society then most Calam people and has many contacts among them. Patrick was asked to join the King’s Guard at the age of 22. But he politely refused. Saying that he was honoured to be asked, but as he was preparing himself to take up the Ducal throne of Gaerwood he could not accept the offer to join the King’s Guard.
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Duke Hans Bratman After the previous duke (Harold Leikland) died of old age without leaving an obvious heir everyone feared a prolonged struggle for power in the duchy. This was however cut short by the Cattle lords who did the most unprecedented thing: they held a grand gathering of all cattle lords and nobility where they pushed for a vote on who would succeed Harold. Hans Bratman, a minor noble but one of the more powerful Cattle lords, was chosen with an astounding support from his colleagues, and the gathered nobility could do little else then accept this most unconventional outcome. Hans has proven himself to be a capable Duke, managing his duchy like he does his business: clean, efficient, thorough with attention to details and the rewarding of actual skill, not of blood. The Leikland nobility looks upon this with grave concern as they see their position of power threatened, but as Hans is a noble himself, there's not much they can do about this. Duchess Eleanor of Rocksend While female rulers are not unheard of in Calam, they are unusual. The Duchess chose not to step aside when her husband died, claiming that her son was not yet ready for the seat of power. (which is possible, her son is only 8).
Other people of power
Archduke Marek Larsson He is 70 years old and a cousin of Duchess Eleanor of Rocksend. He's been Archduke for 20 years now. He rules the Royal District. His main task is overseeing the income of the Royal Treasury so that the King has enough money to keep the kingdom going. This via taxes in the Royal District and making sure that all Duchies send enough taxes to the Throne. He is one of the advisors of the King. Bishop Darren Blackwood His Eminence, Bishop Darren Blackwood of the noble Blackwood family, is the High Inquisitor of the Holy Inquisition of Händer. This means that he is the head of the Inquisition. Besides this Holy task he is also the most trusted advisor of King Gregory the 3rd. It is said that he reigns the Holy Inquisition with an iron fist. He is totally against spiritworshippers.
Mountain folk
Sturlu MacThaal, leader of the Thaal clan Sturlu is the clanleader of the Thaal. The Thaal clan is the biggest clan of the Mountainfolk. It is said that he who rules the Thaal rules the Mountainfolk. But you’ll never hear anyone say that aloud besides Thaal people. Sturlu is a direct descendant of the founder of the clan: Thaal MacWallace. It is custom that those who descend from the clanfounder in straight line to keep the same family name. Normally kids get the name of their father preceeded by “Mac” or “Mc”. But to show that you are related to an important person of the Mountainfolk this rule can be altered and people keep the name of that imporant
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Calam relative. Examples are:
MacThaal: family of the famous founder of the Thaal clan, Thaal MacWallace. McLeig: family of Leig McTosh, who singlehandedly defended the Southedge Pass from invaders some 90 years ago, thus saving the lives of many Mountainfolk.
Barbarians
Bron He's the leader of the Ultan clan. He's the grandson of Ultan founder of the clan. He was appointed leader by Hrærek the shaman who said the spirits saw great things for the Ultan clan if Bron became their leader. Hrærek As high Shaman of the Ultan clan Hrærek is one of the most important Barbarians around. While he's no clan leader he is the one that talks the most to the spirits. Thus he has the ear of most leaders of the Barbarians.
Orcs
Grratch He's the biggest and meanist Orc around. He's the leader of the Grratch Clan. He got the position by killing the previous leader. Word has it that he only takes advice from Snoggal, his Shaman and brother. Snoggal Snoggal is the brother of Grratch and almost as big as him. He is also the head shaman of the Grratch Clan. He is the only one that Grratch turns to for advise, making him the 2nd most powerfull Orc in the tribe.
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General guidelines
These guideline are not here to make our participants life difficult. But they are here for one goal: allow everybody to have a great experience at Calam. We know from personal experience that when everything you see looks real, you will enjoy the game a lot more and you will find it much more easier to stay in character. We really believe that just following this guideline will by itself already make Calam a success (if everybody follows it of course ). Some guidelines are also for your personal safety, as some of us speak from personal experience. Fabric When making or buying your costume always try to take care that the costume is made with natural fabric, the main reason is that natural fabric is less likely to melt/catch fire when sitting close to a campfire (campfires will be common at the game area). Natural fabric will fit our game world (early middle ages) much better as well. Also bear in mind that bright colors were rare in that time period. Dark browns and leather should set the tone余 while bright colors should actually be reserved for those who could afford them: people of rank (nobility, priests, war chiefs, shamans,...) Remark: we speak from personal experience that synthetic fabric can (and will) melt, when you are close to a campfire (been there, done that, learned the lesson the hard way). Costumes Your costume is not only a cloak and a shirt, your trousers/skirt and shoes are also part of your costume. To enhance the realism of your experience we ask that trousers/skirts and shoes match the game setting. NO sneakers are allowed. All clothing should look ingame, so use ground colours, black, leather and so on. The key sentence is: It must LOOK real, not BE real. In our links section we have provided links to some basic patterns for costumes. You will also notice underwear designs, this is NOT an obligation, but only for those who want the real thing as close as possible (if you do make them you'll be able to re足use them in most larps). Remark: when making your costume, you can try to give it an aged look. I.e. normally a costume has been used a lot so it will have wear and tear. Making a tear in a costume and then mending it visibly adds to the realism of it. Shoes Shoes have always been a big problem in larps. I still remember going to events to see modern day running shoes. We understand that some people need good sturdy shoes for medical reasons (bad back, special shape of foot, ...). That's why we do not (yet) oblige the use of medieval type of shoes. Good common sense is used in choosing your modern day shoes if you don't have fitting larp足shoes. If in doubt, contact us. But we do ask kindly that everybody at least tries to do something about the shoes they will wear at Calam. These days there are plenty of shops selling good larp足shoes from as cheap as
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Calam
34.90 euro (see our links). Spending a bit of money on larp shoes is a great investment as you will be able to use them in ALL larps. One way to disguise modern shoes is to use leather or fabric and warp it around them to give them an IC look. Please check our website for an example video on how we wrap some fabric around a modern shoe to make it look IC. Character gear In most Belgian Larps your gear (especially eating gear) can contain modern elements, not so in Calam. No aluminum camping dishes or such will be allowed, wooden bowl/dishes will be the standard. Your fork, knife and spoon must also match the atmosphere. Any bags your character carries must fit the game area. If you think it's to modern then please don't bring it along. As always, when in doubt contact us, we are not evil . Tents and sleeping gear Out of Character (OOC) tents are no longer allowed at Calam, but we will provide a limited number of IC tents for those who have none (please reserve in advance if you need an IC tent from the organisation). When sleeping in an incharacter accessible tent please make sure to not use modern sleeping gear. Use sheets, blankets, skins, ... that match the setting, so no visible modern 'sleepingbags' are allowed in the IC tents. Blankets are a perfect and cheap way to cover modern stuff in a tent. Remark: it's perfectly OK to sleep in a modern sleeping bag as long as nobody can see it (i.e. you pull a blanket of it) Electricity There won't be any form of electricity at the event. Cooking To enhance the real feel of the event, participants will be cooking for themselves. In order to make certain that all the food looks IC we will provide all the ingredients for cooking (this is included in the participation fee). It's still possible to bring your own food along, BUT please make sure that it will look IC => no milk cartons please. For cooking we will ask you to adjust your cooking & eating gear to our standards: Cooking is done over an open fire, not on a gasspowered camping fire. We will provide firewood/charcoal for this. Only cook using firepits made by the organisation. DO NOT make your own firepit! Feel free to contact us if you have any questions regarding the food at Calam. Smoking In order to keep the game area free of cigarette leftovers we will only allow self
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rolled cigarettes (i.e. no filter), cigars or pipes. Also take care to put your selfrolled cigarettes or cigars in an incharacter box/bag, the same goes for your pipe tobacco. Lighters that are IC looking are allowed. When using matches try to disguise your matches box appropriately or use flint and tinder. Take care to not carelessly throw away your cigarettes, cigars, pipeleftover! We don't want a forest fire! The best place to throw it away is in the fireplace. Wood for fire Wood for the fire will be provided by the organizers as will be people to show you how to build a proper and safe outdoorsfire. Latex Besides your latex weapons/shields and prosthetics, nothing else will be allowed to be made out of latex. This excludes the use amongst others of latex armor, latex shoes, ... Drinks Drinks will be provided by the organisation (and is included in your participation fee). You may of course bring along your own drinks, but then take care that your bottle looks fitting for the game setting. (i.e. NO beer cans and the like) Don't forget a tankard to drink from as we only have a limited number of those availble to drink from. Garbage Please make sure to bring a garbage bag for your own garbage. Also know that any garbarge you create (by the things you brought along => e.g. empty bottles) you will also have to take back home with you. The organizers will provide incharacter containers for dumping any other waste in, so please keep the site clean!
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